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HTC Snap
A good, not great, choice for business
- Very good messaging features
- Prioritizes email messages
- Long battery life
- No Wi-Fi
- Mediocre call quality
- Cramped keyboard
- So-so camera
- Relatively expensive
How Sprint's Snap stacks up
The HTC Snap is primarily a business smartphone, and reviewers agree that it is very good for messaging and other work-related tasks; they also agree it's not the best out there. Philip Berne at InfoSyncWorld.com says its "outclassed by the competition," while Jamie Lendino calls its Microsoft OS "tired," and Bonnie Cha at CNET can't get past its high price. Still, many single out HTC's unique Inner Circle feature, which allows users to prioritize emails according to a pre-programmed list of important senders, as a major asset. Sprint's HTC Snap has a glossy plastic finish, a four-way control for navigation and a slightly narrow QWERTY keyboard. Reviewers are disappointed that the device lacks Wi-Fi, a feature found on the similar HTC Ozone (Free with new contract/renewal) for Verizon and the T-Mobile Dash 3G. The Snap is also available unlocked, as the HTC S522.
Experts consistently compare the HTC Snap with the unlocked S522, and many say the latter device is superior. Bonnie Cha at CNET takes points off for the HTC Snap's cramped keyboard and "plasticky" feel. Its relatively high price is also a point of contention; PCMag.com's Jamie Lendino says Sprint customers are better off with the Palm Pre (*Est. $100 with new contract) or the BlackBerry Tour (From $30 with new contract).
It's good for business
Critics appreciate the HTC Snap's generous messaging features, which include push email, synchronization with Microsoft Outlook and access to POP3 and IMAP email accounts. The HTC Snap also offers instant messaging and threaded text messaging, meaning your texts will appear like conversations, making them easier to track. Most -- but not all -- reviewers like the Inner Circle features, which push emails from important senders to the top (based on your preferences). CNET's Bonnie Cha admits that it took her a few days to see the value in this feature that she now loves, but InfoSyncWorld.com's Philip Berne finds it "completely unreliable" in his tests.
Aside from its business features, critics aren't particularly impressed with the HTC Snap. Most find that call quality is unimpressive, and a few complain about the cramped QWERTY keyboard and relatively small (2.4 inches, 320 pixels by 240 pixels) LCD screen. The Snap runs Microsoft's Windows Mobile OS 6.1, which many reviewers feel is in need of a significant update, and while some appreciate access to Microsoft's productivity applications, none report favorably on the built-in Internet Explorer browser. The Snap's 2-megapixel camera is also cited as one of the Snap's less impressive features. On the other hand, battery life is routinely praised -- CNET and InfoSyncWorld.com get about 6.5 hours of talk time, while PCMag gets just 4.5 hours.
A good number of professionals review the Snap, comparing it to the HTC Ozone, T-Mobile Dash 3G and HTC S522. CNET, InfoSyncWorld.com and PCMag.com top the list with thorough, comparative evaluations. Reviews from MobileBurn.com, BrightHand.com and MobileTechReview.com are also helpful, if not overly critical.
HTC Ozone XV6175 Windows Phone, Black (Verizon Wireless)
 from Amazon.com New: $599.99 $49.99 In Stock.
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BlackBerry Tour 9630 Phone, Black (Verizon Wireless)
from Amazon.com New: $499.99 $49.99 In Stock.
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Our Sources
1. CNET
CNET's Bonnie Cha takes a look at the HTC Snap offered by Sprint, comparing it with the earlier, GSM HTC Snap (S522). Cha likes the Inner Circle email prioritizing feature and the Snap's other messaging features. However, call quality is unexceptional, she says, and the camera phone is disappointing.
Review: HTC Snap (Sprint), Bonnie Cha, June 26, 2009
Philip Berne evaluates Sprint's HTC Snap, and finds it falls short of the earlier HTC Snap (S522). He isn't impressed with the newer Snap's form factor, and says that call quality is middling, and the music player, and camera are mediocre. Berne feels the Snap isn't a particularly good value.
Review: HTC Snap Review, Philip Berne, July 1, 2009
3. PCMag.com
Jamie Lendino offers a solid review of the Snap, comparing it to other Sprint devices as well as phones from other carriers. While he finds it to be a capable business device, he thinks there are superior smartphones offered by Sprint.
Review: HTC Snap (Sprint), Jamie Lendino, July 10, 2009
Editor Michael Oryl, likes the Snap's excellent messaging features, particularly the Inner Circle email sorter. He praises the device's design, but he is critical of the Microsoft user interface, and finds that unreliable call quality is almost a deal-breaker.
Review: Review of HTC's Snap Smartphone for Sprint, Michael Oryl, June 24, 2009
Calling the Snap "one of the lightest and most visually appealing devices I've reviewed," editor Jen Edwards praises its good quality, speedy performance and long battery life. She doesn't find too many negatives, other than a mediocre camera and the lack of Wi-Fi.
Review: HTC Snap Review, Jen Edwards, August 1, 2009
Unlike many other reviewers, Zhang is not a fan of the Snap's "slippery" D-pad control. Otherwise, his findings are similar to others, noting the lack of Wi-Fi, but praising the phone's fast processor and battery life.
Review: HTC Snap, Tong Zhang, August 8, 2009
